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Fort Hood shooting victim living in Maine

A Fort Hood shooting victim who is now living in Maine has joined a lawsuit against the government. WMTW News 8's Katie Thompson reports.

Updated: 7:27 PM EDT Sep 3, 2013

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Fort Hood shooting victim living in Maine

A Fort Hood shooting victim who is now living in Maine has joined a lawsuit against the government. WMTW News 8's Katie Thompson reports.

Updated: 7:27 PM EDT Sep 3, 2013

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Fort Hood shooting victim living in Maine

A Fort Hood shooting victim who is now living in Maine has joined a lawsuit against the government. WMTW News 8's Katie Thompson reports.

Updated: 7:27 PM EDT Sep 3, 2013

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WEBVTT SENATOR SUSANCOLLINS TELLS W-M-T-W NEWS 8 THAT NEXTWEEK SHE WILLINTRODUCE A BILL TOPROVIDE PURPLEHEART AWARDS TOTHE VICTIMS OF THEFORT HOOD TEXASSHOOTING.COLLINS SAID THEBILL WOULD ALSOENSURE THATVICTIMS AND THEIRFAMILIES GET THECOMPENSATION THEYDESERVE.MANY OF THOSEVICTIMS HAVEALREADY FILED ALAWSUIT AGAINSTTHE GOVERNMENT..INCLUDING ONE WHOLIVES RIGHT HERE INMAINE. W-M-T-W NEWS8'S KATIE THOMPSONIS LIVE IN STUDIOTONIGHT TO TELL USWHY.W-M-T-W NEWS 8'SKATIE THOMPSON ISLIVE IN STUDIOTONIGHT WITH áNEWDEVELOPMENTSáIT'S THE WORST MASSSHOOTING ON AMILITARY BASE IN U.SHISTORYBUTVICTIMS OF THE FORTHOOD SHOOTING WHOARE NOW PLAINTIFFSIN A MAJOR LAWSUIT,WOULD RATHER IT BECALLED THE WORSTTERRORIST ATTACKSINCE 9-11."I went in line to seethe doctor and that'swhen the shootinghappened." RETIREDARMY SPECIALISTJAMES ARMSTRONGWAS PREPARING FORDEPLOYMENT ONNOVEMBER 5TH 2009AT FORT HOOD,TEXAS, WHEN HE WASSHOT 3 TIMES BY NOWCONVICTED ARMYPSYCHIATRIST NIDALHASAN. SHORTLYAFTER, HE METPRESIDENT OBAMA ATA MEMORIAL."and the biggest thingswere we're going totake care of you. We'regoing to do what wecan to take care ofyou.' From that pointon there's been nothingelse heard." NOW, HE'SONE OFAPPROXIMATELY 150VICTIMS ANDFAMILIES, SUING THEU-S GOVERNMENT.THE ARMY HASCLASSIFIED THESHOOTING ASWORKPLACEVIOLENCE, BUT THESUIT SEEKS TOCHANGE IT TO AN ACTOF TERRORISM. DOINGSO WOULD ALLOW THESURVIVING VICTIMSAND FAMILIES OF THE13 KILLED TO RECEIVEPURPLE HEARTS, ANAWARD DESIGNATEDFOR THOSE WOUNDEDOR KILLED INCOMBAT. AND, ITWOULD GIVE VICTIMSAND THEIR FAMILIESLONG-TERMBENEFITS."I have to think aboutmy children I have tothink about my wifeand I have to thinkabout where I'm goingto be in 30 years.Whether I'm going tobe able to work,whether I'm going to beable to walk, I have tothink about thesethings." ANOTHERPART OF THE CASEHINGES ON THEFINDINGS OF ANINVESTIGATION BYSENATOR SUSANCOLLINSSURROUNDING THESHOOTER, HASAN."that he was clearlyinspired by a radicalviolent islamicideology and thisclearly was an act ofterrorism." COLLINS'REPORT CLAIMS THATTHE DEPARTMENT OFDEFENSE AND FBIKNEW THAT MAJORHASAN WAS HAVINGDIRECTCONVERSATIONSWITH A KNOWNTERRORIST.ATTORNEY REEDRUBINSTEIN SAYSTHE DOCUMENTPROVIDES A FACTUALFOUNDATION FOR THECASE."it knew he was aradical it knew what hewas planning it knewhe was talking to al-keida about killingAmerican soldiers, butit covered it up.""for the administrationto persist in treatingthis as if it were an actof workplace violenceis an absolute outrageand disrespectful tothe many victims.AGAIN, SENATORCOLLINS PLANS TOBRING THAT BILL TOCONGRESS NEXTWEEK.THE OUTCOME HASTHE POTENTIAL TOCHANGE WHERE WE'LLSEE THIS LAWSUITHEADED IN THEFUTURE.